Scott Boras’ Relationship With Ted Lerner Adds Wrinkle To Rendon Negotiations
Anthony Rendon has long been one of baseball’s more avuncular superstars. As easygoing in temperament as he is fluid in his athleticism, when Rendon takes the field for the Nationals, he looks like he’s playing, well, a game. He’s quick to dispel incorrect assumptions about the game that stem from platitudes, he doesn’t put on airs (or shoes) for the press, and if he doesn’t feel like talking, he doesn’t. He said quite a bit last week on 106.7’s The Fan, however, and those listening walked away with the distinct impression that Rendon would be testing free agency at the end of the season.
Of course, pending free agents rarely extend this close to the bell, and Rendon is not one to surrender his autonomy unnecessarily. That doesn’t mean, however, that his departure from Washington is a foregone conclusion. Rendon met with his agent Scott Boras last week in Phoenix, after which Boras met with Nats ownership to continue an ongoing dialogue about Rendon’s future with the team, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post.
Every team has agents or other front offices they are comfortable dealing with, and for the Nationals, funny as it sounds, a Scott Boras negotiation is a world in which they are at ease. Boras and Ted Lerner – the Nats’ principal owner – have built up a fair amount of trust over the years through pulling together nearly every type of superstar negotiation, from an early extension for Stephen Strasburg, to the free agent signing of Max Scherzer, to the departure of Bryce Harper last offseason.
While it may sound overly optimistic to point to Harper’s free agency departure as a touchstone of a positive working relationship, it very well may be. Lerner and Boras know the game between them at this point, and while the ultimate price for Rendon may exceed what the Lerner’s are willing to pay, there aren’t a lot of unknowns between the parties.
Still, both Boras and Rendon have made a point to isolate Rendon as the decision-maker in the relationship, and given Rendon’s independent streak they probably mean it. Rendon sounded almost bitter over not having had an extension hammered out at any point previous during his 6-year relationship with the Nationals, but he also made clear that there is a price at which he’d happily re-up with the Nats. That price is bound to be exorbitant, perhaps even exceeding Nolan Arenado‘s extension, but the premium would be to forego the opportunity to explore the market. Given Lerner’s relationship with Boras, that would seem to be an unnecessary expense on Lerner’s part.
Given the way Rendon has played this season, he has no reason to settle for anything less than top dollar. The underrated superstar has put together an MVP-type year, .315/.400/.608 while tying a career-high with 25 home runs (it’s August). His 153 wRC+ places him sixth among all qualified batters in the MLB, first overall in the majors among infielders. He is a singular superstar – in play and personality – and Boras’ relationship with Lerner only factors if Rendon, 29, really wants to stay in Washington. Positionally, third base is – after catcher – perhaps the most siloed in baseball, eliminating a couple contenders for his services (including his hometown team in Houston). Regardless, he no doubt will have alternatives if he does’t get what he wants from Washington once the season is over.
Speculatively speaking, Rendon would be an appropriate spiritual successor to Adrian Beltre in Texas – his home state. The Braves or Phillies could make a play to steal Rendon from a rival, though both teams have long-term answers nearby in Austin Riley and Alec Bohm. Looking elsewhere in the National League, the Cubs, Giants, Padres, Rockies, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Dodgers, and Reds already have money committed to third base, while the Pirates, Mets and Marlins have cheap options on hand. The American League has more third base slots available, but few offer the competitive environment available to Rendon in Washington.
The Nationals worked hard to stay under the tax this year, but they haven’t been shy about going over in the past, and they actually have a fair amount of payroll space to work with next year with Ryan Zimmerman‘s $18MM coming off the books. Giving the keys to what-has-been Zimmerman’s house over to Rendon makes a lot of sense from a narrative standpoint. Rendon already supplanted Zimmerman at third base. No matter the outcome, the contract negotiations should linger into the offseason, and all parties involved seem comfortable with that.
East Notes: Scherzer, Voit, Gurriel Jr.
The Nationals shouldered another late-inning loss at Citi Field last night as Sean Doolittle folded in the ninth for four runs and the loss. Max Scherzer‘s return is more vital now than ever for the Nats, but there’s still not a clear timetable for his activation from the injured list. He threw off flat ground yesterday and may follow it up with a bullpen session today, but the Nationals are content being cautious with their ace, per MASN’s Byron Kerr (via Twitter). Joe Ross has stepped up in Scherzer’s absence with back-to-back scoreless outings on the road. Lowering a 9.85 ERA to 6.75 over the course of two starts must feel pretty good for Ross, but Scherzer’s health remains Washington’s focus. When he does return, Washington will decide between Ross and Erick Fedde for the fifth starter spot. Let’s head to the American League for a couple of health updates…
- Yankees first baseman Luke Voit is doing his best to return to the team, but there won’t be a clear timeline until he resumes baseball activities, per George A. King III of the New York Post. He is running now, but hernia surgery remains a possibility for the 28-year-old Missouri native. Voit built upon his surprising 2018 breakout with more of the same this season. In roughly one season’s worth of playing time between this year and last, Voit appeared in 141 games for 577 plate appearances with a .291/.393/.545 line, 34 home runs and 90 RBIs. With a batting champion taking over for Voit at first (DJ LeMahieu) and another unearthed offensive marvel covering for him at third (Gio Urshela), the Yankees aren’t exactly suffering in Voit’s absence. With a 9 1/2 game lead in the division, they are willing to wait out Voit’s injury in the hopes that he can avoid season-ending surgery.
- The Blue Jays are placing outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on the 10-day injured list, as Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca tweets. He has been diagnosed with a quadriceps strain. Gurriel is one of the many MLB legacies making waves in Toronto this season with an overall batting line of .279/.331/.548 with 19 home runs. Gurriel Jr. struggled early in the season to the point of being sent back to Triple-A, but since returning from a six-week exile in Buffalo, Yuli’s little brother has looked like an All-Star, hitting .295/.344/.591 with all 19 of his home runs coming since his return. The Blue Jays are rapidly putting together a lineup worth talking about, and Gurriel Jr. is no small part of their future.
Yankees Activate Gary Sanchez, Recall Stephen Tarpley, Place Jonathan Holder On IL
Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez will be activated from the injured list today in Toronto, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (via Twitter). The club’s PR department has announced the move as well.
Sanchez is in the midst of another strong season when healthy behind the plate. The nuances of Sanchez’s contributions are self-evident in his power-heavy .229/.299/508 batting line. On-base struggles notwithstanding, Sanchez remains one of the more potent catchers in the game, and his position means his power contributions are of slightly more unique to New York than those of other Yankees’ mashers. Backup Austin Romine has been a surprisingly fair facsimile while hitting .265/.290/.426, but it’s still a position without a ton of reliable depth. This was Sanchez’s second stint on the injured list this season.
Kyle Higashioka was optioned to Scranton Wilkes-Barre to make room. Higashioka, 29, hasn’t seen a ton of playing time, but he has stood in ably when given the opportunity: .256/.250/.590 across just 40 plate appearances.
Left-hander Stephen Tarpley will also be joining the big league club from Triple-A. Tarpley has made 15 appearances with the big league club with an 8.31 ERA/6.56 FIP across 17 1/3 innings. Big league hitters have launched against the 26-year-old Arizona native for 13.5 hits and 2.6 home runs per nine innings. It’s a small sample so far this season for Tarpley, who made the ALDS roster last year after 10 strong outings in September.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Holder was placed on the 1o-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. Despite strong peripherals (10 K/9 to 2.4 BB/9, 4.18 K/BB), Holder has struggled to keep the ball in the yard at times, blowing his ERA up to 6.31 (4.45 FIP) across 34 appearances. The 26-year-old has been a steady contributor the last two season for the Yankees – 3.42 ERA over 97 games in 2017 and 2018 – so there’s a fair amount of flukiness in the unusually high number of runs allowed.
Braves To Install Mark Melancon As Closer
The Braves will install veteran righty Mark Melancon as their closer, manager Brian Snitker told reporters including Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). He finished out tonight’s game, though it did not come in a save situation.
Melancon was one of three veteran relievers acquired by the Atlanta organization at the trade deadline. At the time, it did not seem terribly likely he’d receive a shot at ninth-inning work. Shane Greene took the inside track to the gig, with fellow newcomer Chris Martin and incumbent Luke Jackson also potentially in the mix.
Things have changed rather quickly. Greene and Martin have been shaky. The Braves don’t want to turn things back over to Jackson. And Melancon has been steady. It’s only a handful of outings, but the Atlanta org is obviously looking for a steadying presence. Perhaps it shouldn’t be seen as a surprise that the experienced late-inning hand has already grasped the reins.
Melancon hasn’t functioned as a steady closer since early in the 2017 season, but he has racked up 183 career saves. Though he has been more steady than dominant of late, carrying a 3.29 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 since the start of the 2018 season, the 34-year-old surely won’t be cowed by the prospect of handling the high-leverage spots.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Braves’ late-inning relief situation shakes out down the stretch. Snitker did not commit to permanently utilizing Melancon in the closer’s role, though he did indicate that the veteran will be trusted with the job for some time to come. The club is obviously willing to switch things up on the fly, but will presumably hope to settle into some kind of established approach before the postseason arrives.
Phillies To Sign Nick Vincent
10:00pm: There is indeed a deal in place, per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter).
9:50pm: The Phillies are “working toward” a deal with righty Nick Vincent, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadephia (Twitter link). If completed, it’ll be a minors pact.
Vincent is one of several veteran players who have entered the open market in recent weeks. With no possibility of striking trades for players on MLB contracts, contenders are stockpiling all the depth they can.
Things were going well enough for Vincent to open the year, after he earned an Opening Day roster spot with the Giants. Working in a multi-inning capacity, he made it through 24 innings over 14 appearances with a 2.25 ERA. Then came a brutal, four-appearance stretch in which he coughed up 13 earned runs.
That stretch ended when Vincent went on the injured list with a pectoral injury. He has been sidelined ever since. The Giants elected to set him loose rather than adding him back to the active roster after watching Vincent’s rehab work. He did rack up a dozen strikeouts without a walk over seven appearances.
For the most part, Vincent has been much the same reliever as always in 2019. He carries an 11.3% swinging-strike rate with 8.8 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9, numbers that sit right at his career average. With a long track record of strong work — he owns a lifetime 3.38 ERA in 362 2/3 MLB frames — Vincent was sure to secure an opportunity somewhere. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the majors in relatively short order.
Checking In On Last Winter’s 8 Biggest Free Agent Pitcher Contracts
Last winter’s free-agent market was debated for years in advance. Its slow pace led to a long period of tension that has extended into early CBA negotiations. There was and is much at stake that goes beyond the bounds of the individual contracts that were negotiated. But those specific deals are also interesting and important standing alone — particularly those that involved significant, multi-year commitments.
We’ll check in on the thirteen players who signed for $30MM or more in total guaranteed money to see how those contracts look now that we’re more than two-thirds of the way through their first seasons. We’ve already gone through the five position players. Now, here are the eight pitchers who inked such deals:
Patrick Corbin, SP, Nationals (6 years, $140MM): Corbin has been just about everything the Nats hoped he’d be, turning in 141 2/3 innings of 3.43 ERA ball with 10.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 along with a 46.0% groundball rate. The numbers aren’t quite as exceptional as they were last year, but it’s promising to see that he has mostly maintained his breakout (and has even nudged his velocity back a bit toward his career average). It still feels like a pretty heavy price, but … let’s just say the D.C. org is probably pleased it made this investment rather than topping the Phillies to bring back Bryce.
Nathan Eovaldi, SP, Red Sox (4 years, $67.5MM): Yeah, I know he’s pitching as a reliever for the moment. But that’s not what he was signed for. And it doesn’t even capture the full scope of the problems. Eovaldi came back to the Boston bullpen from a long elbow-related absence. He’s pumping heat, as usual, but the results have been ugly all year long. Eovaldi does carry a 14:2 K/BB ratio in 7 2/3 innings as a reliever, but he has also been tagged for a .591 batting average in balls in play and seven earned runs in that capacity. Overall, his swinging-strike rate has dropped back to 8.8% after popping up to 10.7% last year. There’s still time for the 29-year-old to figure things out, but his performance thus far has left his 2018 uptick looking like an outlier.
Yusei Kikuchi, SP, Mariners (4 years, $56MM): MLBTR’s Connor Byrne took a closer look at Kikuchi just the other day, so I’ll point you to that rather than re-listing the core facts here. The key fact for the Seattle organization is that Kikuchi was always a long-term play rather than a win-now gambit, so there’s still hope they can help him learn and adjust. But the initial showing doesn’t admit of much promise.
Zack Britton, RP, Yankees (3 years, $39MM): The groundball artist formerly known as “Zach” doesn’t get swings and misses like he did in his prime, but he’s still excelling with a 2.30 ERA in 47 frames. Opposing hitters still haven’t figured out the power sinker. They’re putting the ball on the ground at a 78.7% clip and failing (particularly given this offensive environment) to put the ball over the fence (0.57 HR/9). Britton is again giving out more free passes than one might prefer, but he’s better equipped to erase them with double plays than any reliever in the history of baseball.
J.A. Happ, SP, Yankees (2 years, $34MM): The Yanks’ other significant pitching investment hasn’t worked out as well. Happ is through 115 innings of 5.24 ERA ball, with 7.1 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 and a hefty 26 home runs allowed. The velo is fine. The swings and misses are at the same level as his successful 2018. But Happ just hasn’t been able to tamp down the hard contact and has been far too prone to the long ball. The positive is that the veteran southpaw is healthy and still seems to be exhibiting the same arsenal and general skillset that has worked for him in recent seasons.
Charlie Morton, SP, Rays (2 years, $30MM): And you thought Happ had a late-career renaissance. It’s still unclear why the Astros didn’t issue Morton a qualifying offer after his strong two-year run with the team. He has been even better in Tampa Bay, spinning 143 frames of 2.77 ERA pitching with 11.0 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and a 49.1% groundball rate. Morton has allowed only eleven long balls, a markedly low figure for a starter in this offensive context. He’s a fantastic buy on this deal.
Jeurys Familia, RP, Mets (3 years, $30MM): I won’t lie. This struck me as a nice move for the Mets at the time it was made. Familia still hasn’t reached thirty years of age and was a solid late-inning asset in 2018. Unfortunately, he has fallen apart in his return to New York. Through 37 2/3 innings, he’s sporting an awful 6.69 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 7.4 BB/9. Familia is having trouble getting opposing hitters to chase out of the zone, which is leading to the walks and explains the reduction in his swinging-strike rate (from 14.1% last year to 10.2%). He’s not throwing his four-seamer as hard as usual, but his heavily utilized sinker is still sitting in its typical 96+ mph range. While there’s still hope of a turnaround, it’s safe to say that rival clubs wouldn’t be anxious to take on the remainder of this deal.
Lance Lynn, SP, Rangers (3 years, $30MM): The most surprising $30MM+ contract is also arguably the best value of them all. The 32-year-old Lynn has had plenty of effective seasons in the majors, but he has by some measures never been better than in 2019. He’s throwing harder than ever and carrying a career-best 21.8% K%-BB% on a personal-high 12.3% swinging-strike rate. Statcast is impressed, crediting Lynn with a .279 xwOBA-against that’s even better than the .294 wOBA actually produced by opposing batters. It’s fair to wonder whether Lynn can keep up quite this level of work for the final two years of the deal, but the pact has obviously turned into quite the asset for the Texas organization.
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I suppose we could’ve looked fully at Craig Kimbrel, who signed with the Cubs in mid-season after shedding draft compensation, but it seems premature to attempt an assessment just 14 appearances into his $43MM contract.
Steven Duggar Weighing Shoulder Surgery
Giants outfielder Steven Duggar says that he has been diagnosed with a grade 3 sprain of his left AC joint, as Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle was among those to report (Twitter links). While he’s heading for a second opinion, Duggar says he’s leaning towards surgery.
The San Francisco organization had only recently called Duggar back up to the bigs when he came up injured. He was shifted to the 60-day IL earlier today, meaning that the team has already scratched him for the rest of the season. Clearly, the focus will be on getting Duggar back to health. Worryingly, he also ended his 2018 season with a significant left shoulder injury.
The 25-year-old had been seen by some as a key potential part of the Giants outfield for some time to come, but he’ll be a question mark entering 2020. In addition to the health issues, Duggar simply has not produced in the majors when healthy. Through 281 plate appearances on the year, he carries a .234/.278/.341 batting line with four home runs.
There’s still promise for Duggar. He was much better this year at Triple-A, where he was walking nearly as often as he struck out while showing much more power. And he’s a gifted defender, so it’s not as if he needs to be a monster at the plate to be a useful big leaguer.
The move on Duggar created space for the activation of lefty Travis Bergen. The Rule 5 pick had been working back from a shoulder injury. It seems the club remains committed to carrying him for the rest of the season, though that could change as time goes on.
Phillies Place Jay Bruce On IL, Recall Adam Haseley
The Phillies are sending outfielder Jay Bruce right back onto the 10-day injured list, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported (via Twitter) and the team has now announced. He had just returned from an oblique injury, but has now been diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left arm.
Outfielder Adam Haseley had been shipped back down to Triple-A to make way for Bruce. Instead, he’ll come right back onto the active roster. (The usual requirement of a 10-day stay in the minors is waived since he’s coming up to replace an injured player.)
Twins Place Nelson Cruz On 10-Day IL
5:25pm: Cruz has been diagnosed with a ruptured ECU tendon, as MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park was among those to cover (links to Twitter). While that sounds like it’d be a bad thing, it may actually not be much of a problem. It’s an injury that others have played through before and Cruz says he isn’t experiencing pain at the moment.
“It’s a miracle that it feels like that,” says Cruz. “I don’t have any pain, so maybe that’s what I needed. Just tear that tendon and we’re good.”
2:05pm: The Twins announced today that they have placed slugger Nelson Cruz on the 10-day injured list. Righty Cody Stashak was called up to take the open roster spot.
Cruz was diagnosed with a wrist strain after leaving last night’s game in the middle of a plate appearance. There’s no indication to this point as to how long Cruz may be sidelined.
This isn’t the first time this year that Cruz has experienced an issue in that particular joint. He spent three weeks on the IL for a similar injury earlier this season.
It’s tough news for a Minnesota club that is trying to hold off the charging Indians in the AL Central. Cruz has been on a nearly unbelievable tear at the plate, slashing .333/.429/.900 with 16 home runs in his past 25 games (106 plate appearances).
Twins To Sign Ryan O’Rourke
The Twins have struck a minors deal with lefty Ryan O’Rourke, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). He had been with the Minnesota organization from 2010 through 2016.
O’Rourke appeared briefly in the majors earlier this year with the Mets, marking his first showing since the ’16 campaign. He has spent much of the year with the top affiliate of the New York organization, where he carries a 3.27 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 over 44 innings.
It’s possible that O’Rourke could end up getting some MLB work in Minnesota, even if he has to wait until rosters expand in September. The club’s lone present southpaw reliever, Taylor Rogers, is its closer. There are four other lefties on the 40-man roster, but Martin Perez and Devin Smeltzer are working from the MLB rotation while Lewis Thorpe is starting at Triple-A. Stephen Gonsalves remains on the injured list in the minors.